1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to chemical formulation that possess anti-bacterial, antiviral, anti-fungal, sterility, and spermicidal properties which are not corrosive to ferrous metals and methods of making and using those formulations.
2. Description of the Related Art
Microorganisms, e.g., bacteria, viruses, and fungi (e.g., mold, both in the vegetative and spore form) are a major source of disease and contamination throughout modern society. The need to control the growth of these micro-organisms is paramount for maintaining public health as well as reducing costly commercial and industrial contamination. In the case of bacteria, infections and contaminations are effected by both Gram-positive (e.g., Staphylococcus aurous) and Gram-negative (e.g., Escherichia coli) bacteria. Many anti-bacterial agents are limited in their efficacy to only one of those two classes of bacteria. Moreover, known anti-viral agents are often effective only against enveloped or non-enveloped viruses, but not both. As used herein, the terms anti-microbial agents and anti-microbial compositions mean, without limitation, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal, sterility, spermicidal, biocide, disinfectant, sanitizing, antiseptic, and/or mildewicidal agents and compositions.
While numerous anti-microbial agents exist, many have the further limitation that they cannot be compounded into formulations for extended transport over concerns regarding degradation of stability and/or efficacy. Thus, there has been a long standing need for stable and efficacious anti-microbial formulations that possess broad spectrum activity. In addition there is a long standing need for anti-microbial formulations that do not detract, diminish or destroy the integrity of surfaces and substrates that the anti-microbial agent makes contact with. Therefore four features: broad spectrum effectiveness, rapid speed to kill, stability, and noncorrosivness, especially to ferrous metals, are highly desired features of anti-microbial agents. However, up to now these features have been unattainable without the use of auxiliary agents which complicate the anti-microbial formulation and often are antagonistic to one another, leading to inactive anti-microbial agents or anti-microbial agents of limited stability.
In order to achieve highly efficacious and broad spectrum anti-microbial agents, peroxy compounds are often part of the formulation. These peroxy compounds include hydrogen peroxide, alkyl peroxides, peresters, percarbonates, persulfates and peracids. U.S. Pat. No. 6,998,369 of Hei et al., the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference, provide an extensive review of effective anti-microbial agents.
While peroxy compounds are effective at eradicating harmful microorganisms, they are corrosive to metals, especially ferrous metals. This is a significant drawback since many surfaces, articles, and instruments such as surgical and dental equipment, endoscopes, catheters, and surgical rooms are made of or have components containing ferrous metals such as iron, steel and various grades of stainless steel. Corrosion of ferrous metals by anti-microbial agents is therefore unacceptable. To attempt to overcome the apparent inherent corrosive property of peroxy compounds in anti-microbial formulations, various types of corrosion inhibitors are also incorporated into the anti-microbial formulation. U.S. Pat. No. 6,585,933, of Ehrhardt et al., the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference provide an extensive description of various corrosion inhibiting approaches. However, the inclusion of additional components, such as, corrosion inhibitors, to anti-microbial formulations can be disadvantageous and detrimentally effect the anti-microbial efficacy of the composition. These other components can result in loss of clarity causing nonhomogeneous formulations, compromise efficacy by interfering with the anti-microbial agent's activity, or reduce stability and shorten the useable lifetime of an anti-microbial formulation.